Synthetic dye shortages in World 28 during WWII prompted growth of dye plants in the ‘dig for victory’ movement and natural dyeing skills were taught in ‘make do and mend’ pamphlets. As the war ended this appetite for self-sufficiency continued and became an integral part of British culture.
Home gardens, allotments and community gardens are hubs of growth and creativity. Wearing naturally dyed clothing is now normalised and dyeing skills alongside sewing, mending and upcycling are taught in schools. The food and fashion systems are now more entwined, localised, seasonal & community efforts.
What if …
the ‘dig for victory’ and ‘make do and mend’ movements combined, continued and thrived after WWII?
Issue targeted:
environmental impacts of synthetic dyes
Inspiration:
regional fibre systems and community gardening projects
This World was contributed by Beth Pagett (located in Leicester, UK) using a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence which allows others to share and adapt the work in any medium and for any purpose, providing that they credit the author and share their material using the same Creative Commons licence.
Related Explorations
Does this World remind you of something?
I am keen to hear about any historical or contemporary real-world examples – whether individual practices, subcultures or mainstream activities – that this fiction brings to mind.
Please share any such examples using this form. Thank you!